Rowlett Elementary considers charter conversion

Published: Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 10:56 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 10:56 p.m.

MANATEE COUNTY - Rowlett Magnet Elementary School, one of the most sought-after schools in the district, may convert to a charter school to protect its signature performing arts programs from district cuts and to ensure that its curriculum stays focused on the arts.

The conversion, unprecedented in Manatee County, would not only make the 13-year-old magnet school fiscally autonomous from the district, but also give a board of parents and school leaders more flexibility over teacher pay, curriculum and school policies.

“It will protect the niche of what is Rowlett,” said parent and School Advisory Council member Christine Sket, one of two parents who proposed the change to Rowlett Principal Brian Flynn earlier this year. “We just don't have the guarantee that our school will stay like this. If we write it into the bylaws, this will remain an arts-focused school.”

Rowlett Elementary lost more than $150,000 from its after-school program and other areas earlier this year, which the district collected in an effort to address a multimillion-dollar deficit and depleted reserves.

Other changes are on the horizon for all Manatee schools.

On Friday, the district announced a hiring and credit card freeze and encouraged schools to eliminate all non-crucial contracts, stating that the “only way we may partially recover from this Fiscal Year is if we stop spending District General Funds.” Also eliminated: overtime pay, non-contracted hourly wages and requisitions.

The district also will no longer allocate a Spanish teacher and magnet coordinator for magnet schools as in the past, and will be able to take up to 80 percent of the profits from afterschool programs next year.

“Look at this as decentralization,” said Flynn, the principal, on Tuesday as he led a parent meeting on the proposed change.

“This allows us to better support our arts programs. And it empowers school leaders to make decisions on what's best for the school.”

It also allows Flynn, much respected and liked by the Rowlett school community, to continue as a leader in some capacity.

Because Flynn is enrolled in the state DROP retirement program, he must exit the public school system at the end of next school year.

Flynn has said he is interested in serving as a contracted principal for the first year if the school is approved as a charter for the 2014-15 school year, and then move to an unpaid board position.

Formed in 1999 as the district's first magnet school, the 900-student school on Ninth Street East has become defined by a slew of arts-related school and extracurricular programs such as drama, music, art and chorus that have caused a long waiting list for entry.

Currently ranked an “A” school by the state, Rowlett has earned A and B marks for the past five years.

Last month, Rowlett parents packed a local movie theater to watch the Sarasota Film Festival premiere of the school's advanced drama students.

Several Odyssey of the Mind teams went to state finals this year.

And the school's fundraising association raised more than $170,000 for programs and teacher salaries last year.

While school leaders stressed that district cuts and shortages are only a component of the decision to convert, many worried that district policies will negatively impact what they say is a unique learning environment at Rowlett. Though the district cannot take association money, these funds will have to cover more as the district offers less.

“The funding issue just adds more to the scale of why you would want to do this,” Sket said. “Yes, funding is bad right now. We can always raise more money. But it's how long will this continue?”

Though Florida law allows for district public schools to convert to charter schools, the process has never been done before in Manatee.

A public school needs to have been in operation for two years, and win 51 percent support from teachers and 51 percent support from at least half of the school's parent body.

Each student household will receive one ballot by mail. Parents also can vote in the front office from May 31 to June 7.

On June 10, the votes will be counted at a public meeting at the school.

An application, complete with an action plan and a business plan, will need to be submitted to the district by Aug. 1, and the School Board will have 60 days to approve or deny the charter.

If approved, the school would still receive state money based on student enrollment, but would operate its own finances, subject to review from the district. Charter schools pay school boards a 5 percent administrative fee. Schools deemed “high-performing” pay a 2 percent fee.

“We want to continue things at Rowlett the way they are,” said Debra Woithe, the school advisory council chairwoman for Rowlett. “It's an option to retain the unique things that we like here, and not just be part of the standard equation.”

The school could also opt out of most standardized tests required by the state, with the exception of the FCAT.

Though the school could manipulate class size and some curriculum decisions, it would still be held to Common Core Standards.

Perhaps the biggest concerns parents and staff alike have is how teachers will fare in the transformation.

Because Rowlett would be a converted charter school and not a start-up charter or a corporate charter, teachers can opt to transfer to another school if they do not want to be part of the charter.

They would keep their district benefits through the conversion and still be able to participate in the Florida Retirement System.

The new school would have to decide how to evaluate teachers. Charter schools are not held to the controversial new state model, currently based partly on standardized test scores.

“We'll work together to determine the best method of evaluation ... with teacher input,” Flynn told parents Tuesday.

Teachers could opt to enter into collective bargaining with the union at the new school. Manatee Education Association President Pat Barber said the union would be monitoring the process regardless.

“The union would want to make sure teachers are fully informed on the facts of what would happen, what teachers' rights are and that the vote was fair,” Barber said Monday.

“We believe in the district, even if things are bad now,” Sket said. “We're not doing this to prove a point. We're doing it to protect what is Rowlett.”

Another information meeting about the conversion process is scheduled to be held at the school at 6 p.m. on May 28.

The school district issued a statement that said Superintendent Rick Mills met with the Rowlett staff Tuesday and plans to meet with parents from the school next week.

<p><em>MANATEE COUNTY</em> - Rowlett Magnet Elementary School, one of the most sought-after schools in the district, may convert to a charter school to protect its signature performing arts programs from district cuts and to ensure that its curriculum stays focused on the arts.</p><p>The conversion, unprecedented in Manatee County, would not only make the 13-year-old magnet school fiscally autonomous from the district, but also give a board of parents and school leaders more flexibility over teacher pay, curriculum and school policies.</p><p>“It will protect the niche of what is Rowlett,” said parent and School Advisory Council member Christine Sket, one of two parents who proposed the change to Rowlett Principal Brian Flynn earlier this year. “We just don't have the guarantee that our school will stay like this. If we write it into the bylaws, this will remain an arts-focused school.”</p><p>Rowlett Elementary lost more than $150,000 from its after-school program and other areas earlier this year, which the district collected in an effort to address a multimillion-dollar deficit and depleted reserves.</p><p>Other changes are on the horizon for all Manatee schools.</p><p>On Friday, the district announced a hiring and credit card freeze and encouraged schools to eliminate all non-crucial contracts, stating that the “only way we may partially recover from this Fiscal Year is if we stop spending District General Funds.” Also eliminated: overtime pay, non-contracted hourly wages and requisitions.</p><p>The district also will no longer allocate a Spanish teacher and magnet coordinator for magnet schools as in the past, and will be able to take up to 80 percent of the profits from afterschool programs next year.</p><p>“Look at this as decentralization,” said Flynn, the principal, on Tuesday as he led a parent meeting on the proposed change. </p><p>“This allows us to better support our arts programs. And it empowers school leaders to make decisions on what's best for the school.”</p><p>It also allows Flynn, much respected and liked by the Rowlett school community, to continue as a leader in some capacity. </p><p>Because Flynn is enrolled in the state DROP retirement program, he must exit the public school system at the end of next school year.</p><p>Flynn has said he is interested in serving as a contracted principal for the first year if the school is approved as a charter for the 2014-15 school year, and then move to an unpaid board position.</p><p>Formed in 1999 as the district's first magnet school, the 900-student school on Ninth Street East has become defined by a slew of arts-related school and extracurricular programs such as drama, music, art and chorus that have caused a long waiting list for entry.</p><p>Currently ranked an “A” school by the state, Rowlett has earned A and B marks for the past five years.</p><p>Last month, Rowlett parents packed a local movie theater to watch the Sarasota Film Festival premiere of the school's advanced drama students. </p><p>Several Odyssey of the Mind teams went to state finals this year. </p><p>And the school's fundraising association raised more than $170,000 for programs and teacher salaries last year.</p><p>While school leaders stressed that district cuts and shortages are only a component of the decision to convert, many worried that district policies will negatively impact what they say is a unique learning environment at Rowlett. Though the district cannot take association money, these funds will have to cover more as the district offers less.</p><p>“The funding issue just adds more to the scale of why you would want to do this,” Sket said. “Yes, funding is bad right now. We can always raise more money. But it's how long will this continue?”</p><p>Though Florida law allows for district public schools to convert to charter schools, the process has never been done before in Manatee.</p><p>A public school needs to have been in operation for two years, and win 51 percent support from teachers and 51 percent support from at least half of the school's parent body.</p><p>Each student household will receive one ballot by mail. Parents also can vote in the front office from May 31 to June 7.</p><p>On June 10, the votes will be counted at a public meeting at the school. </p><p>An application, complete with an action plan and a business plan, will need to be submitted to the district by Aug. 1, and the School Board will have 60 days to approve or deny the charter.</p><p>If approved, the school would still receive state money based on student enrollment, but would operate its own finances, subject to review from the district. Charter schools pay school boards a 5 percent administrative fee. Schools deemed “high-performing” pay a 2 percent fee.</p><p>“We want to continue things at Rowlett the way they are,” said Debra Woithe, the school advisory council chairwoman for Rowlett. “It's an option to retain the unique things that we like here, and not just be part of the standard equation.”</p><p>The school could also opt out of most standardized tests required by the state, with the exception of the FCAT.</p><p>Though the school could manipulate class size and some curriculum decisions, it would still be held to Common Core Standards.</p><p>Perhaps the biggest concerns parents and staff alike have is how teachers will fare in the transformation.</p><p>Because Rowlett would be a converted charter school and not a start-up charter or a corporate charter, teachers can opt to transfer to another school if they do not want to be part of the charter.</p><p>They would keep their district benefits through the conversion and still be able to participate in the Florida Retirement System.</p><p>The new school would have to decide how to evaluate teachers. Charter schools are not held to the controversial new state model, currently based partly on standardized test scores.</p><p>“We'll work together to determine the best method of evaluation ... with teacher input,” Flynn told parents Tuesday.</p><p>Teachers could opt to enter into collective bargaining with the union at the new school. Manatee Education Association President Pat Barber said the union would be monitoring the process regardless.</p><p>“The union would want to make sure teachers are fully informed on the facts of what would happen, what teachers' rights are and that the vote was fair,” Barber said Monday.</p><p>“We believe in the district, even if things are bad now,” Sket said. “We're not doing this to prove a point. We're doing it to protect what is Rowlett.”</p><p>Another information meeting about the conversion process is scheduled to be held at the school at 6 p.m. on May 28.</p><p>The school district issued a statement that said Superintendent Rick Mills met with the Rowlett staff Tuesday and plans to meet with parents from the school next week.</p>